Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 is the upcoming installment in the long running cyberpunk anime franchise and is being released by Netflix around the world. Today Netflix unveiled the debut trailer for the series, showcasing some interesting CG animation and a familiar voice cast.
Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 is the latest chapter in the Ghost in the Shell franchise and an apparent sequel to the much beloved Stand Alone Complex series. SAC_2045 will see the return of director Kenji Kamiyama. Kamiyama will be joined by Shinji Aramaki, the director of Appleseed. The two are also working together to create the new Blade Runner anime series, scheduled to debut at a later time. We knew they had a Ghost in the Shell series in the works before that happens, and now we are seeing the first fruits of that labor.
The trailer, full of the non-stop cyber action Ghost in the Shell has become known for, also gives us our first glimpse of the new CG animation style being used for the series, ditching the traditional “hand-drawn” techniques of the series’ past. This has caused a little bit of a stir among fans, some of whom are not pleased with the change.
One thing longtime Ghost in the Shell fans should be excited for though is the return of the original voice cast of SAC. Atsushi Nakanaka returns as Motoko Kusanagi, Akio Takatsuka as Bato, and Hirota Takaji as Togusa. As ever, the animation is being handled by beloved studio Production I.G. in collaboration with CG animation studio Sola Digital Arts.
Notably absent however is Yoko Kanno who created the music for the first two series and the Solid State Society film, based on the series. In her place, music will be composed by Nobuko Toda and Kazuma Jinnouchi, who are known for various video game soundtracks, including the Metal Gear Solid series.
Speaking for myself, I find the CG animation incredibly beautiful and the character design equally striking. I’m always up for a return to the world of Ghost in the Shell and I’m certainly looking forward to this amazing-looking followup.
